Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

यदा चौदुम्बरी शप्ता नारदेन सुरर्षिणा । मानुषी भव क्रुद्धेन तदा संप्रार्थितस्तया

Transliteration

yadā caudumbarī śaptā nāradena surarṣiṇā | mānuṣī bhava kruddhena tadā saṃprārthitastayā

Translation

Als Caudumbarī von Nārada, dem göttlichen ṛṣi, im Zorn verflucht wurde: «Werde ein Mensch!», da flehte sie ihn demütig an.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla (Time marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (relative adverb: when)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम्

• उदुम्बरी: Udumbarī (a woman/name)
• उदुम्बरी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदुम्बरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शप्ता: was cursed
• शप्ता: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle) ‘cursed’

• नारदेन: by Nārada
• नारदेन: Karta (Agent of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सुरर्षिणा: the divine sage
• सुरर्षिणा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘नारदेन’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘sage of the gods’/divine sage)

• मानुषी: human (female)
• मानुषी: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; predicate adjective

• भव: become
• भव: Kriyā (Command/Quoted speech)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; parasmaipada

• क्रुद्धेन: by the angry (one)
• क्रुद्धेन: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √क्रुध् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘by the angry (one)’—instrumental qualifying agent (नारदेन)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्ययम् (then)

• संप्रार्थितः: was earnestly requested
• संप्रार्थितः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-अर्थ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle) ‘was earnestly entreated’

• तया: by her
• तया: Karta (Agent of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (narrative voice recounting the backstory)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada, angered, pronounces a curse upon Caudumbarī to become human; Caudumbarī pleads for relief, hands folded, as the curse takes effect with a transformative glow.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Caudumbarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a curse can become a turning point toward purification and divine purpose when met with humility and supplication.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse provides mythic background supporting the sanctity of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa locale; a specific named tirtha is not stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the origin of a condition (human birth) caused by a curse.